You may encounter words that are identical in both languages or only slightly changed (e.g., finger, hand, arm, wind, winter, Schulter-shoulder, Knie-knee, Mutter-mother, Onkel-uncle, Garten-garden, grün-green, blau-blue, fein-fine, rot-red). EXPLAIN that these words are identical or similar because they evolved from a single earlier language. Their similarity derives from their shared ancestry: the West-Germanic language family. Words in this group are called cognates (=born together).
We also use words such as Inspiration, Student, Semester, Chance--again identical in both languages, except for the capitalization in German. Words in this group are derived from Greek and Latin. And a sentence such as the following: Mein Vater ist Professor für Chemie und mein Bruder studiert Physik, Mathematik und Biologie is readily understood.
Most of the words listed below, have become so common in American English, at least in some areas, that they are now considered part of the American language.
| gemütlichkeit | verboten | kitsch |
| kaffeeklatsch | misch-masch | wunderkind |
| beergarden | zig-zag | katzenjammer |
| stein | edelweiss | kindergarten |
| prosit | lied | poltergeist |
| rat(h)skeller | liederkranz | Kriss Kringle |
| spritz | glockenspiel | hausfrau |
| weltanschauung | kaputt | paraffin |
| zeitgeist | gesundheit | plunder |
| gestalt | hinterland | meerschaum |
| weltschmerz | rucksack | streusel |
| angst | wanderlust | torte |
| ostpolitik | iceberg | noodle |
| blitz(krieg) | ohm | sauerkraut |
| flak | ersatz | frankfurter |
| concertmaster | dummkopf | hamburger |
| heldentenor | bedeckt | wiener |
| waltz | wunderbar | bratwurst |
| leitmotiv | fahrvergnügen | pretzel |
| yodel | spatsy | cookbook |
Do you love dogs? Germans are very fond of dogs and introduced many breeds to the United States: Schnauzer, Dachshund, Spitz, Doberman, Poodle, Pincher, German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Weimaraner, German Shorthair.
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Updated: 17 November 2007, BAS Comments to: IUPUI Max Kade German-American Center, mkgac@iupui.edu This home page sponsored and maintained by IUPUI University Library. URL: http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/kade/nameword/apend-d.html |
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